One System…One Mission
The Florida College System
Cassandra BrownCoordinator of Postsecondary ReadinessDivision of Florida CollegesJanuary 15, 2013
General Information and Update
Getting Started• Florida College System Admissions
• Overview of Florida College System• Admissions Process• Transcripts and Test Scores• Types of Degrees Offered• Postsecondary Education in the NEFEC Region
• Resources for College Planning• Core to College
The Florida College System Serves almost one million students
28 colleges, 62 campuses Almost 70% of Florida high school graduates
attend a Florida College Over 40% transfer to a SUS after A.A
Miami Dade College is the largest and most diverse college in the nation! 174,000 students
Valencia Community College won best college in the nation! –Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence
14 additional Florida colleges recognized
Are Florida Colleges Selective? Florida colleges are open-access which
means entry into the college is not selective and provides an equal opportunity for everyone to enter regardless of high school grades, current academic skills, or age. This does not mean that coursework in colleges is
easier. This does not mean that everyone will start at the
same level – some may need additional classes to build up their skills.
Application Process Florida Gateway College Complete an Application
Online or Print Submit Florida Residency Form
Documentation that your parents are Florida residents for tuition purposes
Pay application fee Have transcripts sent Submit placement test scores
ACT, SAT, CPT, FCAT, PERT
Transcripts Transcripts are the official record of grades
and graduation date. Students will need ask the high school to
send transcripts to every school of interest. You can apply and send transcripts early.
Remind students to re-send transcripts with final grades after graduation.
Placement Tests ACT and SAT scores are used to place you into
the appropriate level of courses. Example: Intermediate Algebra vs. College Algebra or
Calculus. ACT and SAT test scores are not used for admissions
into a Florida College. PERT and CPT scores taken for dual-enrollment can
be used for placement. The highest test scores from each test are used.
Scores valid for 2 years If the student does not have a test score, they will
be administered the PERT at a Florida college.
College Credit Earned in High School Florida colleges may provide college credit
for completion and satisfactory scores for Advanced Placement (AP) International Baccalaureate (IB) Cambridge Advanced International Certificate of
Education (AICE) College Level Examination Program (CLEP) Dual-enrollment
Students will need to make sure to provide scores or that they appear on your transcript.
Types of DegreesOffered
Valencia College A.S. vs. A.A. Associate in Science (A.S.) Degree “Provides specific knowledge to perform and
excel in a particular profession.” May transfer to related bachelor degree programs
at a Florida college or state university.
Associate in Arts (A.A.) The Transferrable Degree Requires 60 college credits for completion of
degree. Includes 36 hours of general education courses
and 24 electives. After earning an A.A. degree, students are
guaranteed acceptance to one of Florida's 12 state universities or a Florida college.
Bachelor’s Degree Bachelor – an undergraduate academic degree in
a specific course of study Available at 21 colleges Bachelor’s degrees are offered in areas of high-
need and critical shortages: Education – Business Nursing – Healthcare Technology – Management And others as identified by the local community
At Florida colleges, these degrees are designed for individuals already in a career or planning to enter a profession right after graduating.
Types of Programs Each college has a variety of programs and
departments of specialty including Science and Mathematics Healthcare Technology Humanities History and Social Science
Florida colleges also have Honors Programs.
Visit each college website or tour for additional information.
Why some may choose a Florida College Convenience
Close to home Same curriculum as state university system Variety of sports, clubs and activities
Low student/faculty ratio Smaller class sizes Personal attention
Cheaper tuition About 40% less than a state university
2+2 Guaranteed transfer to state university system
institution with A.A
2+2 – Statewide Articulation Agreement Designed to allow students to successfully
pursue a bachelor’s degree by first attending a college and then transferring to a 4-year institution.
The state of Florida guarantees that students who complete an AA degree at a community college have the opportunity to enroll in and earn a bachelor’s degree at one of Florida’s state universities or Florida Colleges.
Example: Direct Connect – Valencia to UCF
Florida State College of Jacksonville
North Florida Community College
St. Johns River State College
Video
Smart College Choices
http://smart-college-choices.com/
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Program TitleNumber Completed
Number Continued Education
Percent Continued Education
Number Employed
Percent Employed
Estimated Average Annual Full-Time Wage
Nursing (Associate Degree) RN 4,565 1,275 27% 3,910 85% $51,284
Law Enforcement Officer 2,310 763 33% 1,944 84% $43,432
Emergency Medical Technician (Basic)--ATD 1,656 960 57% 1,202 72% $29,452
Educator Preparation Inst. 1,554 113 7% 1,237 79% $40,748
Emt - Basic 1,458 824 56% 1,043 71% $32,160
Correctional Officer 1,222 269 22% 1,088 89% $37,896
Fire Fighter II 1,122 514 45% 862 76% $37,392
Paramedic 1,031 544 52% 921 89% $47,232
Business Specialist 729 520 71% 476 65% $32,248
Practical Nursing 672 243 36% 571 84% $34,748
Resources for College Planning
KnowHow2Go.org College.gov College Board – Plan for College
www.collegeboard.com/student/plan/index.html ACT – College Planning
www.actstudent.org/college/index.html
Background
In September of 2011, the Common Core State Standards and Assessments: K-12/Postsecondary Alignment Grant was announced.
Florida submitted a proposal in response to the goals of the grant.
Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors announced Florida as one of ten states to receive a grant. Core to College States - Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana,
Massachusetts, North Carolina, Oregon and Washington
Goals of Grant
Increase faculty knowledge and awareness of the Common Core State Standards
Promote strong collaboration and alignment between the higher education institutions and the K-12 sector
Support the implementation and use of the Common Core State Standards and assessments to drive higher levels of college readiness among students, and ultimately greater college completion.
Future Projects CCSS Higher Education Institute
An opportunity for college faculty to gain an in-depth understanding of the CCSS.
Collaboration between teacher preparation program faculty and liberal arts and sciences faculty.
Creating Core Teams Interested faculty are forming teams of 4-5 for long-
term participation (Ongoing)
Core to College Summit Opportunity for colleges and districts to come
together and alignment and collaboration ideas.
Support for Goals and Projects Professional development for both faculty
and teachers Webinars on CCSS, PARCC Website to share resources Core Faculty listserv Core to College newsletter Resources for Core Faculty to deliver
CCSS/PARCC sessions at their institution
Edison State - College Readiness Conference Invited various stakeholders
College faculty members (dev. ed and liberal arts and science faculty) school district personnel, teachers and college administrators
The conference provided participants with Student data from recent high school graduates
who applied to the institution An overview of the CCSS and PARCC Opportunity to work with others in their content
area to answer questions related to the rigor of the standards
Opportunity to discuss college-readiness
North Florida Community College - Collaboration and Alignment Face-to-face round table teacher development
activities on campus Establish a Desire2Learn (D2L) online classroom in
which team members can post information and dialogue
Use current, reliable data to evaluate the remedial and college readiness need at individual schools, and to evaluate the effectiveness of alignment activities
Faculty and district teachers will visit each other’s classrooms to observe or even to engage with each other’s students.
Florida Gateway College – District Engagement President invited all district Superintendents
and Curriculum Specialists. Open dialogue about resources and how
FGC could assist districts. Key discussion topics included STEM,
Career and Technical Education, and Common Core.
Contact Information
Cassandra Brown, Coordinator of Postsecondary Readiness
Division of Florida Colleges
325 W. Gaines Street, Suite 1532Tallahassee, Florida 32399
(850) 245-7823